Merchandising system

ABSTRACT

A merchandising system which has a header post support assembly, one end of which is adapted for mounting on a standard grocery-type shelf upright, and the other end of which is generally curved. The merchandising system can also have one or more shelf(s), one or more sign(s), one or more clip(s), one or more hanging flag(s), one or more shelf front(s), one or more shelf protectors, one or more front divider(s), one or more top divider(s), one or more rear divider(s), one or more bottom divider(s), one or more side panel(s), one or more middle spacer(s), and one or more end spacer(s).

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the display and merchandising of products. More specifically, this invention relates to display shelves for merchandising products, wherein the display shelf provides one or more shelf upright(s) with attached header post support(s) with one or more hanging flag(s) integrated as part of the merchandising system.

2. Description of Related Art

A variety of devices have been used, proposed, or are well known for displaying and merchandising products. Typically, products are displayed on a standard grocery-type shelf. Some devices have been patented that have shelf-labeling characteristics, but typically such devices do not include elements common to the present invention, such as elements to both enhance the appearance of a standard grocery-type shelf and uniquely identify specific products stocked on the shelf.

The reader is referred to the following US patent documents for general background material, although they may not necessarily constitute prior art to this invention. Each of these patents is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for the material contained therein.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,763,947 describes a display tag assembly.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,224 describes a shelf protector with tag assembly.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,199 describes a sign system.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,632 describes a price channel.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,239 describes a multi-purpose columnar support.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,466 describes a pole shelving.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is desirable to provide a merchandising system that enhances the appearance of a standard grocery-type shelf, and that allows for easy recognition of products on the shelf.

Therefore, it is an object of one possible embodiment of this invention to provide additional sign space for advertising, allowing a customer to easily locate a particular product within the store.

It is thus also an object of one possible embodiment of this invention to provide display devices for various signs that are integrated into the system.

It is a further object of one possible embodiment this invention to provide a shelf front having a space for shelf tags, the space tilting the shelf tag upward for easier reading, the shelf front also extending above the top edge of the shelf to keep merchandise from falling off of the shelf.

These and other objects of this invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following drawings, description and claims. Because some embodiments of the invention may include some, all or other objects of this invention, the scope of this patent application is defined by the scope range and equivalents of the issued claims and it is not intended that such scope be limited by the forgoing objects.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of the present merchandising system.

FIG. 2A is a side view of a second embodiment of the present merchandising system.

FIG. 2B is a front view of a second embodiment of the present merchandising system.

FIG. 3A is a side view of a third embodiment of the present merchandising system.

FIG. 3B is a side view of a third embodiment of the present merchandising system.

FIG. 4A is a front view of a fourth embodiment of the present merchandising system.

FIG. 4B is a side view of a fourth embodiment of the present merchandising system.

FIG. 5A is a front and rear view of a fifth embodiment of the present merchandising system.

FIG. 5B is a side view of a fifth embodiment of the present merchandising system.

FIG. 6A is a front view of a sixth embodiment of the present merchandising system.

FIG. 6B is a side view of a sixth embodiment of the present merchandising system

FIG. 7A is a front and rear view of a seventh embodiment of the present merchandising system.

FIG. 7B is a side view of a seventh embodiment of the present merchandising system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of the present merchandising system. In this embodiment, two header post supports 101 are mounted into standard grocery-type shelf uprights 100. The header post supports 101 have a sign 102 inserted into slots in the header post supports 101. The header post supports 101 also have posts 103 protruding from them. The posts each support two clips 104. The clips 104 support a hanging flag 105. Each shelf 99 has a shelf front 106 attached to it. Each shelf 99 has a shelf protector 107 on it. Elements 101, 105, 106, and 107 of the present embodiment are composed of wood, but could be metal, plastic, or composite and the like. The sign 102 in the present embodiment is composed of plastic, but could likewise be metal, wood, composite and the like. The clips 104 of the present embodiment are metal, but could be plastic, composite, and the like. The sign 102 in the present embodiment is fitted into slots in the header post supports 101, but could also be screwed, welded, clipped, pinned, glued, hooked and looped, force fitted, thermally bonded, and the like.

FIG. 2A is a side view of a second embodiment of the merchandising system. FIG. 2B is a front view of the second embodiment. In this embodiment, the first embodiment is augmented by six additional elements: a top divider 201, a front divider 202, a side panel 203, a rear divider 204, a bottom divider 205, and a top cap 206. In this embodiment, elements 201, 202, 204, 205, and 206 are composed of wood, but could also be plastic, metal, composite, and the like. The side panel 203 is composed of plastic, but could likewise be metal, wood, composite, and the like. In this embodiment, the top divider 201, the front divider 202, the side panel 203, the rear divider 204, the bottom divider 205, and the top cap 206 are glued, but could be screwed, welded, clipped, pinned, hooked and looped, force fitted, or thermally bonded and the like.

FIG. 3A is a side view of a third embodiment of the merchandising system. FIG. 3B is a front view of the third embodiment. In this embodiment shelves 99 are fitted to both the front and back of the shelf uprights 100. Thus, the rear view of this embodiment is identical to the front view. In FIG. 3A, two front dividers 301 are attached to a double-length top divider 302, a double-length side panel 303, and a double-length bottom divider 304. In the present embodiment, the elements are composed of wood, but could also be plastic, metal, composite, and the like. In this embodiment, the top divider 201, the front divider 202, the side panel 203, the rear divider 204, the bottom divider 205, and the top cap 206 are glued, but could be screwed, welded, clipped, pinned, hooked and looped, force fitted, or thermally bonded and the like.

FIG. 4A is a front view a of fourth embodiment of the present merchandising system. FIG. 4B is a side view of the fourth embodiment. This embodiment employs a third shelf upright 100 in order to create a double set of shelves. In addition, two new elements, a middle spacer 401 and two end spacers 402 are added to improve the appearance of the embodiment. In this embodiment, the middle spacer 401 and the end spacers 402 are composed of wood, but could be plastic, metal, composite, and the like. All elements are glued, but could be screwed, welded, clipped, pinned, hooked and looped, force fitted, or thermally bonded and the like.

FIG. 5A is a front and rear view of a fifth embodiment of the present merchandising system. FIG. 5B is a side view of the fifth embodiment. In this embodiment, shelves 99 are fitted to both the front and back of the shelf uprights 100. In this embodiment, all elements are composed of wood, but could be metal, plastic, composite, and the like. All elements are glued, but could be screwed, welded, clipped, pinned, hooked and looped, force fitted, or thermally bonded and the like.

FIG. 6A is a front view of a sixth embodiment of the present merchandising system. FIG. 6B is a right side view of the sixth embodiment. FIG. 6C is a left side view of the sixth embodiment. In this embodiment, shelves 99 are fitted to both the front and back of the shelf uprights 100. In this embodiment, all elements are composed of wood, but could be metal, plastic, composite, and the like. All elements are glued, but could be screwed, welded, clipped, pinned, hooked and looped, force fitted, or thermally bonded and the like.

FIG. 7A is a front view of a seventh embodiment of the present merchandising system. FIG. 7B is a side view of the seventh embodiment. In this embodiment, shelves 99 are fitted to both the front and back of the shelf uprights 100. In this embodiment, all elements are composed of wood, but could be metal, plastic, composite, and the like. All elements are glued, but could be screwed, welded, clipped, pinned, hooked and looped, force fitted, or thermally bonded and the like. 

1. A merchandizing system, comprising: (a) a first upright portion, having a top; (b) a shelf attached to said first upright portion; (c) a header post support attached to said top of said first upright portion; and (d) a hanging flag attached to said header post support. 